Valve structure for floor waxing devices



March 19, 1957 B. E. SMITH VALVE STRUCTURE FOR FLOOR WAXING mzvxcss Filed April 18, 1956 INVEN TOR.

BRENNER E. SMITH BY 4W&.M

ATTOR N EYS United States Patent VALVE STRUCTURE FOR FLOOR WAXING DEVICES Brenner E. Smith, Greenfield, -Mass., assignor to J. H. Snuth (30., Inc., Greenfield, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 18,1956, Serial No. 579,107

3 Claims. (Cl. 222-191) This invention relates to devices for waxing floors of the type in which a wax reservoir is provided in the handle of the device. More particularly it relates to an improved valve mechanism for discharging desired quantities of wax from the handle reservoir onto the floor.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a valve structure for the purpose in which the valve closure force is substantially greater than in presently available structures, thus giving increased assurance against leakage, but which may be easily opened when desired. A further object is to provide a valve having the above advantages involving a minimum of parts and which can be produced and assembled at low cost.

Other and further objects and advantages are apparent in the disclosure of the accompanying drawing and in the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section and parts broken away, of a waxing device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the lever member by which opening force is applied to the valve;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the valve members; and

Fig. 4 is a detail front elevational view of the assembly of the elements shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Referring to Fig. l the device is shown as comprising a block 1 of sponge rubber or other suitable material by which the wax is spread on the floor surface. Block 1 is cemented or otherwise secured to a plate 2 to which a rearwardly inclined hollow handle 3 is secured by one or more screws 4 or other suitable means. The hollow handle provides a reservoir space 5 for wax, not shown, and is provided with an opening 7 adjacent its lower end through which wax may be discharged onto the floor rearwardly of block 1.

Opening 7 is normally closed by a valve structure including an annular member 8, formed of resilient, cornpressible rubber or the like, fixed in the opening and having an inner flange 9 which overlies the inner surface of the handle wall around the opening 7. As shown the member 8 is formed with an outer flange 10, the portion of the handle wall around opening 7 being engaged between the flanges 9 and 10 to hold member 8 in place, the parts being dimensioned so that member 8 can be inserted in position by distorition of the material of which it is made.

The movable closure member of the valve comprises a fiat strip 11 of relatively still spring metal fixed at one end to the wall of the handle below the opening 7, as by rivets 12 and forming a cantilever leaf spring extending across the flange 9 in compressing engagement therewith, to securely close opening 7 by virtue of the stifiness of the spring characteristics of the metal of which it is formed.

The free end of member 11 is provided with a key hole shaped opening 13 in which the headed end 14 of an arcuate lever 15 is engaged to pivotally connect that end of the lever to the free end of member 11. Lever 15 is held against the wall of the handle as shown in Fig. 1 by the pressure of spring member 11, the member 11 being slightly curved as indicated at 16 in Fig. 3 to assure a tight non-rattling engagement of lever 15 and the handle wall.

Lever '15 is formed at its end opposite head 14 with an opening 17 through which the lower end of an actuating rod 18 extends, the lower end of rod 18 being fiattened, or otherwise formed as indicated at 19 to sufficiently enlarge it so that it cannot be withdrawn through opening 17 while providing pivotal movement between the rod and lever.

The upper end of rod 18 extends outwardly of the handle 3 through an opening or slot 20 and is bent as at 21 to form a finger grip outwardly of the handle. The finger piece 21 is enclosed by a flexible rubber sheath or cot 22 extending outwardly of the opening 20 and cemented or otherwise secured at its open inner end to the inner surface of the handle around opening 20, as indicated at 23. It will be understood that opening 29 is 'of sufiicient diameter, or longitudinal extent, to afford operative movement of the rod 18.

The handle 3 is adapted to be filled with wax to the extent desired through its open upper end which is closed by a cap 24 threaded on the end of the handle.

When it is desired to discharge a quantity of wax through opening 7 the finger piece 21 is pulled upwardly, slidably rocking lever 15 to swing end 14 of the lever upwardly and raise the spring member clear of member 8 to clear the opening therethrough, as shown in broken lines in Fig. l. The extent of movement of the member is somewhat exaggerated in Fig. l for the sake of clearuess. Due to the leverage advantage afforded by the rocking lever 15 in combination with the cantilever spring, the pulling force on the finger piece necessary to open the valve is relatively light in comparison with the closing pressure exerted by member 11 on the member 8.

Preferably, and as shown, rod 18 is bent, adjacent to its upper end, into engagement with the wall of the handle as indicated at 25 to prevent rattling of the rod within the handle.

As will be apparent applieants arrangement provides an extremely simple valve structure comprising the three parts 8, 11 and 15, which, with actuating rod 18, are all secured in place by the single riveting operation at 12, which is easilyaccomplished through the open lower end of the handle before the lower end is pressed closed, and secured to plate 2 as shown in Fig. 1.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for waxing floors having a hollow handle for holding a supply of wax and an opening adjacent the lower end of the handle to discharge wax from the handle, a valve structure for said opening comprising an annular member formed of resiliently compressible material surrounding said opening on the inner surface of the handle, a stiff leaf spring fixed at one end to the inner surface of the handle and extending across said opening and said member compressibly engaging the latter and closing said opening, an arcuate lever having one end pivotally connected to the free end of said spring and pressed against the wall of the handle by said spring, and an actuating rod pivotally connected to the other end of said lever to slidably rock sai lever to force the spring free of said compressible member and uncover said opening, the free end of said actuating rod extending outwardly of the handle adjacent the upper end thereof.

2. In a device for waxing fioors having a hollow handle for holdinga supply of wax and an opening adjacent the lower end of the handle to discharge wax from the handle, a valve structure for said opening comprising an annular member formed of resiliently compressible material surrounding said opening on the inner surface of the handle, a stitf leaf spring fixed at one end to the inner surface of the handle and extending acrosssaid opening and member compressibly engaging the latter and closing said opening, said spring being formed with a key hole opening intermediate its free end and said member, an arcuate lever having a head at one end loosely engaged in said keyhole opening to connect the lever and spring together for limited pivotal movement, said spring maintaining said lever pressed against the Wall of the handle, and an actuating rod pivotally connected to the other end of the lever to slidably rock said lever to force the spring free of said compressible member and uncover said opening, the upper end of the handle being formed with an opening through which the free 7 end of said actuating rod extends.

3. A device as recited in claim 2 the last-named opening being provided with an outwardly extending fiexible sheath into which the free end of the actuating rod extends, said sheath preventing escape of wax through said opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

